Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Week 39 - ITF 75K - Shrewsbury, Great Britain


Tennis legend

Status: Offline
Posts: 13251
Date:
RE: Week 39 - ITF 75K - Shrewsbury, Great Britain


Reports from the singles semis from Welti today.

(2) Maret Ani (EST) beat Laura Robson (GBR) 6-2, 3-6, 6-0

Laura did not hit the highs of yesterday unfortunately, a nervy start where she missed two mid-court forehands resulted in her being broken in the first game. Errors continued to flow from the racket of Laura, shots which would have been winners yesterday flew long or wide and she lost the first set easily. Give credit to the excellent Ani though, who apart from a blip in the second set was on fine form, and throughly deserved her victory. She also had the crowd to contend with, while good shots from Robson were applauded with vigour, one blistering return winner from Ani did not draw one single clap from the crowd. That annoyed me so much I made a point of clapping for her after every good shot she did, as I felt whilst I didn't want her to win, she deserved to be applauded for her play as much as Laura. After going a break up in the second set, Ani was in total command, but all of a sudden Laura found her range, at 3-2 a double fault on break point from Ani conceded the break, and then at 3-4 one of the rallies of the tournament with outstanding defence from the Estonian resulted in a forehand winner from Laura to go a break ahead. She then served the set out to 30, causing Ani to smash her racket against the wall, and all of a sudden it was game on. Alas it was not be with Laura not able to get into the set, causing her to get more and more agitated and ended with her smashing her racket upon losing the match, Whilst I am not against racket throwing in general, I hate it when players do it after match point, as it spoils the moment of victory for the opponent as it defects attention. Overall Laura has to be estatic with the tournament as a whole, and I have to say well done to Ani who impressed me much more today than against Anna Smith in R1. If only Anna had finished her off then when a set and a break up...

(7) Roberta Vinci (ITA) beat (3) Kristina Barrois (GER) 6-4, 5-7, 6-4

In contrast to around 150 watching the other semi, there was only two people watching this match, the coach of each player. Vinci's coach was sporting a Vancouver Olympics cap, did I miss the announcement there was going to be tennis on ice in 2010? Anyway after the other semi a few people made their way upstairs to the balcony, and I joined it at 3-1 to Vinci in the final set. The dimutive Italian was looking imperious against the gangly German, who was urged on continually by her coach who I think by the end had given up writing on his notebook and took to muttering to himself in German every time his protege missed a shot. Barrois forced her way into it to break back for 4-4, but a sloppy service game meant Vinci broke back after a poor drop volley was pounced upon. The match was not over however, as Barrois had a break back point at 5-4, but she was unable to convert and then feebly lost the nxt two points.

OOP - Sunday

12:00 start
Court 1
(2) Maret Ani (EST) v (7) Roberta Vinci (ITA)
(1) Sarah Borwell (GBR) / Courtney Nagle (USA) v (2) Anna Smith (GBR) / Johanna Larsson (SWE)

I'm not entirely sure if I'm going tommorow at the moment, as I am feeling a bit under the weather.

__________________


Futures level

Status: Offline
Posts: 2012
Date:

out of interest how many were in the crowd?

__________________


Tennis legend

Status: Offline
Posts: 13251
Date:

About 150.

__________________


Futures level

Status: Offline
Posts: 2012
Date:

wow thats a suprisingly high amount

__________________


Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Status: Offline
Posts: 12091
Date:

Thanks for the texts and reports, Wolf. Much appreciated thumbsup.gif

__________________


Tennis legend

Status: Offline
Posts: 34280
Date:

A couple of minutes of footage from one of the games: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=d8vpuZfWm3o

__________________

GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!

GB top 25s (ranks, whereabouts) & stats - http://www.britishtennis.net/stats.html



Improver

Status: Offline
Posts: 10
Date:

steven wrote:

A couple of minutes of footage from one of the games: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=d8vpuZfWm3o




Great video! clap.gif

I hope Borwell and Nagle take the doubles title today smile



-- Edited by RobsonFan at 11:02, 2008-09-28

__________________
Depressed tennis nut


Tennis legend

Status: Offline
Posts: 18083
Date:

Doubles final:

(2)Larsson/Smith (SWE/GBR) d. (1)Borwell/Nagle (GBR/USA) 76(6) 64

Congratulations to Anna, who breaks into the top 200, and commiserations to Sarah, who at least becomes British no. 1

__________________


Tennis legend

Status: Offline
Posts: 13251
Date:

The end then of a long week of tennis, it has now all become one big blur of tennis balls going back and forth over a small net. The finals were played yesterday, and here are the reports.

(7) Roberta Vinci (ITA) beat (2) Maret Ani 7-5, 7-5

A triumph for brain over brawl here, the little Italian has played some great tennis all week and throughly deserves to win the tournament. Despite being a break down in each set (5-2 and 4-2) she fought back both times. The match was scrappy for the most part, until it got better with Vinci serving at 2-3, and from then on some quality began to shine through. Too many double faults near the end from Ani, as well as some debateable line calls (well Ani wasn't too happy with them) contributed to Vinci turning it around, and she finished it with an ace.

(2) Anna Smith (GBR) / Johanna Larsson (SWE) beat (1) Sarah Borwell (GBR) Courtney Nagle (USA) 7-6(7), 6-4

A throughly exciting doubles encounter, especially in the first set where breaks were being transfered back and forth mainly due to some excellent returning rather than poor serving. I was supporting Sarah due to her having become doubles specialist, and the fact she cried Wolllllf as I went passed her on the way to my seat (she posts on GB tennis girls, and I gave her a description of herself after I saw her play on Tuesday.) After laughing and giving her the thumbs up, I watched a extremley even first set, many of the games going to sudden death deuce. Nagle and Sarah went an early break up, surrendered it, then went a break down before getting it back again. At 4-4, deuce, perhaps the crucial moment on Larsson's serve, Nagle having a simple overhead which she was unable to put away. Another poor overhead on a sudden death deuce point, this time from Anna, took it into a tie-break. Jo and Anna quickly established a 5-1 lead in the tie-break, the signature backhand of Anna causing problems. Sarah and Courtney managed to get back into it to go 6-5 up, but Courtney missed the set point with a return that went wide. A missed lob from Sarah two points later and the set was lost. The second set was more straightfoward, Anna and Jo quickly establishing a 4-0 lead, I had to leave at 5-2 unfortunately so Sarah and Courtney must have got a break back, but to no avail. I knew beforehand about the attacking play of Anna and Jo, but what won them the match I think was their play when on the defensive at the back of the court, not only did they get the ball back but low down at their opponents feet. Some consolation from Sarah is that she is now the GB doubles no.1, at 137, and Anna is now at 187.

__________________


Tennis legend

Status: Offline
Posts: 17851
Date:

As jamatthews pointed out on British Tennis Girls this tournament has created an interesting choice for the Fed Cup team. Anne has to be one of the squad, but who else, Mel, Elena, Katie, Laura and what about doubles Sarah is now our number one doubles player and Anna has jumped to number four? Meanwhile Georgie and Amanda are rapidly closing in on a top 200 place. By the time the choice has to be made there could be an excess of riches.

__________________
«First  <  113 14 15 | Page of 15  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse
Powered by ActiveBoard